Diaper holder



Aug. 4, 1964 M; M. SANFORD 3,143,112

DIAPER HOLDER Filed Jan. 21, 1963 2 heets-Sheet 1 FIG -1 FIG 9 INVENTOR. Mable M. Sanford 27 2 mrw/ ATTORNEYS Aug. 4, 1964 M. M. SANFORD DIAPER HOLDER Filed Jan; 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 35 FIG 7 INVENTOR. Mable M. Sanford ,mc fimv M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,143,112 DIAPER HOLDER Mable M. Sanford, 1332 Haight St, San Francisco, Calif. Filed Stan. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 252,631 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-287) This invention relates to a diaper holder, and is an improvement over the holder shown in my United States Letters Patent No. 2,662,526 of December 15, 1953.

The type of holder with which the present invention is concerned is the type in which a moisture proof, flexible socket is provided, in which highly moisture absorbent material is held.

Heretofore the principal objections to holders of this type is that simple and comfortable means is not provided to form a seal between the diaper material and the legs of the baby to prevent escape of urine. Most efiorts to accomplish this result have been along the line of extending the moisture absorbent diaper material over more area, with the result of making the diaper more bulky and more uncomfortable for the baby, or else attempting to provide a seal by use of elastic, which is not only uncomfortable, but may be injurious due to restriction of the circulation to the legs.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved diaper (which word when used alone includes the holder and absorbent material) that is not only comfortable for the baby, but that is adapted to form an automatically adjustable seal between the legs of the wearer and the moisture absorbent material, that will adapt itself to different sized legs, free from binding, and that does not add noticeably to the cost of making the diaper.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a basic diaper design that is adapted to have a cover therefor added thereto without modifying the diaper structure, and which basic diaper may or may not be used with a belt secured thereto. These variations provide a diaper that may be in different price ranges without sacrificing the efficiency of the diaper or its quality.

An added object of the invention is the provision of diaper structure in which there is the moistureproof pocket for the moisture absorbent material and a cloth cover secured thereto in a manner in which there are no seams in the pocket portion where leakage of moisture would otherwise occur due to the seams.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the basic diaper as seen from the side from which the moisture absorbent is exposed, and which side will be against the baby when in use. A portion is broken away and in section.

FIG. 2 is an exploded fragmentary plan view of the waist portion of the diaper holder, showing the belt that preferably is connected with the diaper, and which view indicates the edges of the belt and diaper holder where they are to be sewed together. Arrows indicate the connections.

FIG. 3 is a plan view similar to that of FIG. 1 with the belt attached, and in which portions of the holder that are expanded in flat positions in FIG. 2, are folded on themselves.

FIG. 4 illustrates the diaper of FIG. 3 in a position on a baby, the view being taken from one side of the bab FIG 5 indicates the diaper of FIG. 1 on a baby, the view being similar to that of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the diaper of FIG. 3 with-a cover thereon, against the side of the diaper opposite to the side shown in FIG. 1. The parts are shown expanded.

3,143,112 asented Aug. 4, 1964 FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view as seen from line 7-7 of FIG. 6, except that the sheet material of the diaper holder and cover are shown by simple lines separated to clearly indicate the structure, hence the view is semidiagrammatic.

FIG. '8 is a cross sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6. Here again single lines are shown to indicate the sheet material of the diaper holder and cover.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, exploded, plan view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing a modification of the structure in FIG. 2.

The same numerals will be used in FIGS. 1-5 for identical parts, since the basic diaper structure is the same.

Referring to FIG. 1 a blank of highly flexible, waterproof sheet material is provided, which sheet has a substantially rectangular central body portion 1 that is cut away along one end (the upper edge in FIG. 1) to provide a pair of parallel, corresponding outwardly projecting portions, generally designated 2, at the ends of said edge.

This rectangular body portion is provided at its opposite end with oppositely outwardly projecting extensions 3. Extensions 3 preferably taper toward their outer ends but one edge of each extension is in continuation of the edge of portion 1 from which it extends.

To form the diaper, marginal portions 4 that extend between the .two ends o-f'the central body 1, are folded over one side of the said body portion 1 along lines that extend centrally through each of the projections 2. Thus the projections 2 are each a double layer of the material of the blank (FIG. 2). The extensions 3, in turn, will overlap each other along the lower end of the portion 1, as seen in FIG. 1, since these extensions are relatively long.

A rectangular flap 7 of the same waterproof material as that of the blank is folded on itself to form a double layer of the sheet material, and this flap is stitched at 8 (FIG. 1) along the edge of the body portion 1 that is between extensions 3 and is positioned to be between the pair of extensions 3 and the marginal portion of the central body portion 1 that is between said extensions. The same stitching 8 also secures the extensions to the said central body portion 1 along the edges of said extensions that are continuations of the lower edge of said central body portion 1.

A'fiap 9 (FIGS. 1, 2) that is similar to flap 7 is stitched at 10, along one of its edges to the central body portion 1 from which projections 2 extend, and the ends of flap 9 are stitched to the edges of the folded over marginal portions 4.

The free longitudinally extending edges of the folded over marginal portions 4 preferably extend convergently in a direction toward their upper ends, as seen in FIG 1, and the ends of the flap 9 are stitched at 11 to said -marginal portions along said convergently extending edges.

It should be noted that the projections 2 each project at a right angle to the edge of the central bodyportion .1 that is between said projections. Thus a right anglerecess is formed at the end of the blank, two opposed sides of which are the adjacent edges of projections 2, and the base edge being the end of portion 1 that extends between said projections.

A reinforcing tape 12 is stitched to the projections 2 along their adjacent edges, connecting the two layers of each projection, and said tape is also stitched along the aforesaid base edge that defines the upper edge of the portion 1 as seen in FIG. 1. The stitching that secures the tape to the central body portion 1 also connects flap 9 .with said portion.

A pairof spaced male snap elements 15 of conventional quick detachable snap fasteners is secured to the tape 12 U at each of the ends of the portions of said tape that are secured to the projections 2 along the adjacent edges of the latter.

A straight piece of reinforcing tape 16 is secured by the stitching 8 to the body portion 1 and to the folded over extensions 3 and to flap 7, and a length of conventional elastic webbing 17 of approximately the width of the tape may also be secured, in stretched condition, to the diaper by the same stitching that secures the tape 16 to the latter. This webbing may be centrally spaced between the extensions 3, hence when the tension of the elastic web is relieved, the marginal portion of the diaper between said extensions 3 will contract. The end of the diaper along tape 16 will extend partly around the waist of the baby when the diaper is on the latter.

Adjacent to each end of tape 16 is a pair of spaced female snap elements 18 that are complementary to the male elements 15 for connection with the latter.

By the above structure a waterproof centrally open pocket is provided, within which a rectangular pad of moisture absorbent material is adapted to be removably positioned and held in place by the marginal portions 4 and flaps 7, 9. The extensions 3 and marginal portions 4 will overlie the flap 7 to hold the latter in place. The pad such as indicated at 20 in FIG. 8 will have its marginal portions between the central body portion 1 and said marginal portions 4 and flaps 7, 9. The moisture absorbent pad in the pocket above described will be readily removable from the holder, and the latter may be readily turned inside out, if desired, for cleaning and sterilizing.

It is pertinent to not that the stitching at 8, 1t), 11 is all at the ends of the diaper where it is removed from the zone where it would be likely to become wetted.

In positioning the diaper on a baby the central poen portion of the pocket described above is positioned in the crotch of the baby facing the latter. The male snap elements 15, indicated in FIG. 1, project from the side of the diaper opposite to the side seen in FIG. 1, while the female snap elements 18 are on the near side, as seen in FIG. 1.

The end of the diaper having projections 2 will be at the front side of the body of the baby when the diaper is on the latter, while the opposite end having extensions 3 will be at the back.

In FIG. 1 it is seen that the snap fasteners 15 are not in line along the edge of the central body portion 1 that extends between projections 2. But, the snap elements 13 at the other end of the diaper are in alignment. To secure the snap elements 15, 13 together, it will be necessary to swing projections 2 oppositely outwardly so that the elements 15 will be in alignment. This swinging of the projections 2 outwardly results in their being a surplus of the material of projections 2 that would fold on itself as at 2 in FIG. 3 were the diaper flat, but when the diaper is on the baby, this slack portion 2 will be fiat against the leg of the baby in sealing engagement with the skin of the leg 22 (FIG. and will be in lapping engaging relation to the marginal portions 4 at the ends of the diaper that carry extensions 3 to follow the contour of each leg.

This lapping of the portions with the marginal portions 4 and the seal between portions 2 and the leg is at the area where the leakage of urine has heretofore almost invariably occurred in conventional diaper holders.

In this respect it should be noted that the moisture absorbent material that is held in the diaper pocket does not extend into the projections 2, and also the projections 2 may slide relative to the portions lapped thereby to accommodate different leg sizes, and to enable the baby to freely move its legs. Yet the sealing engagement between portions 2 and the legs is retained. Flap 9 closes the projects 2.

FIGS. 2, 3 show the same basic structure as described for FIG. 1 except that a waistband 24 is provided and this band carries the male snap elements 25 that connect to elements 18. The waistband 24 may be sewed along the end portions of one longitudinal edge to edges 28 of the projections 2, while the longitudinal edge of the band 24 between said end portions is stitched to the end edge 29 of portion 1 that is between said projections (FIG. 2). Thus a Waistband is provided and it holds the snap elements 25 in alignment.

If desired, an extra snap element 30 may be secured to the band adjacent to its ends, and an extra snap element 31 (FIG. 3) is then provided on the holder adjacent each corner of the other end of the diaper holder. When the diaper is on the baby the snap fasteners 30, 31 at opposite ends of the diaper will come together. This is optional, and not essential.

FIGS. 6-8 show the basic diaper structure of FIG. 1, secured to a generally rectangular cover 32 of cloth or the like, but which is wider at its lower end (FIG. 6) and to which cover lace and the like may be stitched for decorative purposes.

The marginal portions 33 of the holder (FIG. 7) that correspond to marginal portions 4 of FIG. 1 are connected with the cloth cover 32 by strips 34 of waterproof material of similar shape that may be connected along one of their edges with the edges of the marginal portions 33 by stitching 35 while the opposite edges of the strips are stitched to the cover 32 by stitching 36 (FIG. 7) along lines parallel with the sides of the holder. By this structure there are no stitches in the holder where leakage could otherwise occur (FIG. 7).

The wider lower end of cover 32 provides panels 48 that project outwardly of the lower portion of the holder (FIG. 6), and these have divergently downward upper edges along which elastic webbing 37 may be secured,

and similar webbing 37' may be stitched along the lower edge of the cover, below extensions 38.

Said extensions 38 correspond to extensions 3, and need not be stitched to the central body portion of the holder, but the said extensions are preferably stitched together along the line of stitching 40, which is adjacent to the edge of the holder. This structure may be used in FIGS. 1-3 if desired.

The flap 41 that corresponds in position and function to flap 7 is secured to cover 32 and to elastic web 37. The elastic web 37' is stitched in place when stretched so as to cause the cover to contract when the tension is released, and it provides for a snug fit of the diaper at the waist when the diaper is on the body. Elastic 37 is also stretched when stitched.

The belt or waistband 43 is stitched to the diaper holder in the same manner as the belt or waistband 24 is secured to the holder, and it may also be secured to or against the cover 32.

From the foregoing it is seen that all of the advantages of the basic diaper structure are present Where the cover 32 is used, and the connection between the cover and the diaper holder is such as to eliminate stitching between this holder and diaper where leakage is apt to occur. That is, along the side edges of the diaper where the diaper extends between the legs and somewhat beyond. There is no danger of leakage at the waistband or ends of the diaper.

FIG. 9 merely shows a possible reversal of the structure of FIGS. 1-8 in that the waistband 44 has projections 45 that may be stitched to the diaper holder along the edges that are indicated by the arrows in FIG. 10 so as to provide the loose pleat or portion that corresponds to the loose pleat provided in FIGS. 1-3 by projections 2 and in the other views when the diaper is not on the body. This loose pleat fits against and follows the contour of the leg when the diaper is on the baby. When the structure of FIG. 9 is employed, the projections, at least, should be of moistureproof material.

It is obvious that elastic webbing, to eliect a yieldable fit in different parts of the diaper holder, may be employed wherever desired. Also, one or more tucks may be taken in the marginal portions 3 (FIG. 3), if desired,

to contour these portions to more or less follow the contour of the body. They are not essential, and where used, are stitched along the edges so as not to position the stitching where there would be objectionable leakage.

The portions 2 have been referred to as being loose pleats to distinguish from conventional pleats. In dressmaking they might be termed circular pleats that are generated from the points 46 (FIG. 3) which are the junctures between parallel edges of the projections 2 and the edge that is at a right angle thereto and that extends between the projections. Upon swinging the projections 2 of FIG. 2 outwardly, circular pleats will develop about said points 46, and the pleats that so develop will exactly fit flat against and follow the curved contour of each leg, while the waistband to which the portions 2 are connected will follow a different contour, or the contour of the waist. This follows whether or not the waistband is used, since the aligned edges of the upper end of the diaper holder of FIG. 1, when the portions 2 are swung oppositely outwardly, will follow the contour of the waist while the portions 2 will lie flat against and will follow the contour of the legs. Unless provision is made for accomplishing the above results, leakage will occur past the edges of the diaper holder.

Basically the structure shown, and essential to the accomplishment of the desired result is one in which a. waterproof diaper is formed from flexible, moistureproof material with an outwardly opening elongated pocket adapted to hold moisture absorbent material, and to position and to hold said material between the legs of a baby, and against the latter, and which holder is provided with a waist encircling portion adapted to encircle the waist of the baby with extensions secured to said waist encircling portion adapted to be flat against and to extend around the legs of the wearer in sealing relation to the latter when the diaper is on the baby.

Such a structure, in combination with a cover secured thereto along the edges of the sides of the pocket, so that the opposite sides of the pocket are free from stitching and the resultant leakage along said sides due to such stitching, is important, as is the general combination or structure first described in which there is a waistband.

It is to be noted that the elastic webbing, if used, would actually pucker the diaper holder where the webbing is secured to the latter, when the diaper is not on the baby. Hence in FIGS. 1 and 6 the diapers are fully expanded so the structure of the diaper is not concealed. The diaper holder as well as the cover are actually elongated generally rectangular pieces of material except for the projections 2 and 3, which are at the corners of the holder portion, and the panel-like extensions 48 at the lower end of the cover.

Where the cover 32 is used, the belt portion will have the male snap elements 49 that correspond to snap elements 25 of FIG. 3 and the female snap elements 50 will be at the lower ends of the panels or extensions 48 of the cover 32. This will not affect the degree of securement of the diaper on the baby, since the elastic web 37' is adequate to maintain a snug fit of the diaper at the waist.

The flap 51 in FIG 6 functions the same as flap 9 in the other views, and the circular pleats 52 are identical to the pleats 2 and function in exactly the same manner. The extra snaps 30, 31, as already stated, are not essential and are not shown in FIG. 6.

With respect to the portions 2 and 52, it should be mentioned that these are slidable against and relative to the marginal portions 3 or 34 when the latter overlap them, and thus there is no uncomfortable bending of the diaper at the groin when the legs of the baby are moved as it kicks its legs and straightens them and double them against the body. The sealing contact with the skin of the legs is maintained at all times.

It is to be understood that the detailed description is not intended to be restrictive of the invention, and the appended claim is intended to cover any modifications that may come within the scope of the terms used.

I claim:

A diaper holder comprising:

(a) an elongated sheet of flexible, relatively thin, im-

perforate, waterproof sheet material having spaced, similarly extending marginal portions extending longitudinally thereof along two of the longitudinally extending edges thereof each, respectively folded over one and the same side of the central portion of said sheet that extends between said marginal portions, and end portions on said sheet extending generally normal to said marginal portions and between their corresponding ends;

(b) a pair of flat extensions of flexible moisture proof material connected with said marginal portions at one of the corresponding ends and in longitudinal alignment therewith, said extensions having adjacent edges facing each other and generally parallel;

(c) a straight waist band of substantially uniform width secured along one of its longitudinally extending edges to the end portion extending between said extensions and to the distal end edges of said extensions whereby said extensions will form loose circular pleats generated about points along said one longitudinally extending edge of said band at substantially the junctures between said adjacent edges of said extensions and said end portion, which pleats will expand to closely follow the curvature of the legs of a baby when said band is in encircling relation to the waist of such baby at the front side thereof with said central portion of said sheet between the legs of such baby and with the ends of said extensions connected to the end of said sheet opposite to said extensions, and

(d) means for so connecting the ends of said extensions to the end of said sheet opposite thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,224,518 Lakritz Dec. 10, 1940 2,545,674 Ralph Mar. 20, 1951 2,662,526 Sanford Dec. 15, 1953 2,854,979 Turner et al. Oct. 7, 1958 3,081,772 Brooks et al. Mar. 19, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 482,174 Canada Apr. 1, 

